Inter-state drug racket busted, 6 held

In a significant crackdown on an inter-state heroin (chitta) drug racket, the police arrested six members of the Ranjan syndicate involved in illicit drug trade across Theog and Kotkhai in Shimla district. The accused include Vikas Dutta (38) from Tikkar, Lokender Kanwar (39), Sachin Chauhan (31), Kapil Sawant (38), Pramod Khimta (40), and Abhilash Naihraik, alias Abbu (31), all residents of Kotkhai.

The operation was led by Theog DSP Siddharth Sharma, under the supervision of Shimla Superintendent of Police (SP) Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi. The arrested individuals were identified as both suppliers and consumers of heroin and were distributing the drug within the region.

This arrest follows the capture of Ranjan Sharma and two associates, Suman Shahi and Kamal Acharya, in September with 30.6 gram of heroin. Investigations revealed that Ranjan Sharma sourced heroin from Delhi-based drug peddlers, including Kamal Acharya, who had previously been arrested but resumed drug smuggling after being granted bail on medical grounds.

The Ranjan syndicate is primarily a localised network in Shimla’s Theog and Kotkhai areas. The bust marks the third significant drug syndicate dismantled in Shimla district this year. In September, the police also arrested Shashi Negi, alias Shahi Mahatma, a Rohru-based kingpin involved in interstate drug trafficking, along with 25 of his associates. Similarly, earlier in the year, police apprehended Ravi Giri, a Narkanda-based kingpin with roots in Nepal, who was running another large-scale illicit drug operation.

These arrests highlight the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to curb the drug trade in the region, as they continue to pursue both local and interstate drug networks.